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Hello people.

Hopefully this one will last a whole lot longer than my other P&M blog.
This is, hopefully, going to be following the construction of my Marine army. But will most probably end up being used in a small way for other models I end up painting.

Seeing as I'm at work and don't have any of the pictures here, let me tell you the story of how the Shadow Scythes came into being.

Are you sitting comfortably? Then lets begin.


After the tumultous events of The Horus Heresy, the remaining legions were divided up into chapters. And whilst most were able to divide easily. Some were unable to divide cleany. The Raven Guard, after the events in the Istvaan system, were only able to divide into a couple of chapters. However, this left about 200 marines remainder. Once this was made known to Robute Gulliman, he quickly found that several other chapters were also suffering from this problem. He quickly found a solution. The remainder marines, would be combined from two different legions, to make one chapter. Hoping this would allow the strengths of both legions to flow into one.

The Shadow Scythes, are one of twentynine chapters founded this way. They are the only chapter to have been drawn from the Raven Guard and Blood Angels. They are Codes Astartes compliant, at least to the basic tenants. They have very few permanant squads of Tactial Marines, relying on a fast attack to devastate the enemies posistion before withdrawing leaving the enemy fearful for their possition, waiting for them to reinforce the last area of attack, before assault from another direction. They have taken to heart, the tenants of both legions. If it's the carefully co-ordinated guerilla strikes, or an angleic host raining down on their enemies.

For two thousand years after their founding, the Shadow Scythes were a 1000 marines strong force. Based on the planet of Corvidae, a rediscovered only three years after the Heresy. It was a planet similar to the earth of the 2nd millenia. With fairly advanced technology, and a proud tradition of a highly trained army. They fgreeted the Space Marines with open arms. And gifted to them the continent on which their capital was based. It provided the Chapter with fresh recruits and soon became known for it's early tithe payments and it's loyalism to the Emperor and the Imperium.

However, after the assasination of their 3rd Chapter Master Pasideri by an unknown force. The Chapter went on a three century long crusade to elimainate all forces in the system. Eventually finding an old webway portal being used by the nefarious Dark Eldar. After a swift and brutal war, the webway portal was destroyed. After this, a new Chapter Master was chosen by the Captains, Sanguinary Priests, Dreadnaughts and Ruling Members of Corvidae, who had been given a place on the council after their attack on the Webway Prtal which had assured it's destruction. The New Chapter Master determined that the chapter would begin operations on a grander scale. He ordered the building of many ships, and to ramp up the recruitment of new Space Marines. After three hundred years. his plans were finished. His chapter would be organisied into Taskforces, a kin to companies, but each given much more independance and many more marines. Each would contain a mix of squads, tanks and personel. The new Chapter Master then decreed that they would not crusade, but if one should recieve a distress call, or signal from any planet within the Imperium they would go to ther help.

So it has been ever since. Each of the 12 taskforces currently in operation has an operational area, these overlap so that they may give one another support, or allow the replacement of casulties. They range in size from 200 to 650 marines. Each commanded by a Captain and his ruling council. They also carry with them large numbers of guardsmen, drawn from their homeworld, and others who have been saved by the intervention of that taskforce.

Whilst they are meant to be equally able to tackle all threats. Some have faced the same enemy more times than any other taskforce within the Chapter. The 3rd Taskforce, currently under the command of Captian Aves, has gained a reputation second only to the Ultramarines as expert tyranid fighters, being fondly called "The Bug Hunters". Whilst the 8th Taskforce is known for it's abilty at fighting the forces of Chaos.

Their roaming pattern means that they might run low on new recruits, so once every ten years, a ship from each taskforce will return to their homeworld to pick up a new supply of Scouts and Imperial Army recruits. It is during this time that the Chapter Master's Council will meet. This is to decide if any new Taskforces will be needed to counter any threats to the imperium, or if there is a particular confilct that needs the Chapters Attention. But apart form this, the taskforces are free to follow their own ideals.

This behaviou, along with the amount of marines that are known to be in the ranks of the Shaodw Scythes, has brough the attention of the Inquistion at least twice. However, whilst their adherence to the Codex Astartes is questionable. Their loyalty to the Emperor and the Imperium is without question. A member of the Inquistion only has to look at their homeworld to see how devoted they are to the Imperium. The world has now become a near utopia amoung the worlds of the Imperium. Lush grass covers the continents, with blue seas covering half the world. It's producton facilites are always ready, and it's tithe payments are always early, and generous. And whilst the taskforces are independant. News of any corruption of a single marine or ships personel has always been reported to the Inquistion and dealt with properly.

And whilst, some chapters look down on them as not pure, being drawn from two legions with equally chequered pasts. They are held in high regard by their brother chapters of the First Mixed Founding, as it was named by the Chapters that it produced. But it is not just these chapters who respect them. The Ultramarines have given their seal of approval many times, with the seal of Chaplin Cassius on the flagship of the third taskforce in recognition of their Tyranid hunting prowess. Chapter Master Pedro Kantor has often requested assistance from a taskforce if they need more marines. They are also welcome on both Deliverance, the Raven guard homeworld, and Baal, the home of the Blood Angels. They have often worked with members of each Chapter in numerous warzones. Shadow Captain Shrike holds the 7th Taskforce in particularly high regard after their attacks on a marshalling Ork Waaaagh! threating many imperial worlds.


Thats is all I have for you at the moment. Be aware, that this might well change. Oh, and so you know. I'm using the BA 'dex. becasue I wanted a jump pack army.

Better late than never. Pictures.










I will have some more stuff up soon.

Solid fluff, are you going to add to it? The gold on the sang. guard looks great as well. Could I ask your recipe?

Gold Recipe.


1. Boltgun all the bits you want Gold.
2. Heavy drybrush of Tin Bitz over the Boltgun.
3. Drybrush of Shining Gold over the Tin Bitz.
4. Light drybrush of Burnished Gold over the Gold.
5. Wash it with Sepia.

I will probably add to the fluff at some point.

Good to see you've finally taken a few pics, I look forward to seeing more.

Your gold is pretty good, I still prefer my method though

Some good looking marines you have there. Liking the bases too

Your metallics are sweet. Is this gonna be a gaming army? Your opponents are gonna be sick with envy when you lay these bad boys out on the table

i like the deep colour of your gold.

It is a gaming army.

Should have some finished Honour Guard builds up tonight/tomorrow. Then the first of 5 assault marines.

Do you have an army list at all?

Would be interesting to see what you are planning on doing with the army.

Strangely enough I'm selling off a whole bunch of stuff at the moment to start a counts as BA army and some WarMill bases and it would be cool to see how similar our armies would end up being

The list is:

Captain with jump pack and lightning claws.

3x10 assaultmarines with powerfist and 2 meltas.

5 sanguinary guard with a powerfist.

4 Sanguinary priests with power weapons and jump packs.

5 honour guard with 2 thunder hammers, powerfist and 2 power weapons, akso with jump packs.

Quick news update. The honour guard are getting there, Will be uploading pictures and fluff for them tonight.

Also, i need names for them. Preferably raven guard/blood angels ish.

but if not, just some awesome names.

Shadow Guard would probably do for your Honour Guard, I think in Latin it's something along the lines of Custodes Umbra or Umbra Custodes. I'm almost certainly wrong though as I speak more Old English than I do Latin.

These guys look awesome, well done!

Nick Ellingworth wrote:Shadow Guard would probably do for your Honour Guard, I think in Latin it's something along the lines of Custodes Umbra or Umbra Custodes. I'm almost certainly wrong though as I speak more Old English than I do Latin.

It would be Custodes Umbra, meaning Ghost Guards.

Sweet.

Right, I know I said that I would update tonight. But work got in the way, and then the buses were messed up, so I got home late.

Update has been bumped to tomorrow.

CommissarCandlestick wrote:These guys look awesome, well done!

Nick Ellingworth wrote:Shadow Guard would probably do for your Honour Guard, I think in Latin it's something along the lines of Custodes Umbra or Umbra Custodes. I'm almost certainly wrong though as I speak more Old English than I do Latin.

It would be Custodes Umbra, meaning Ghost Guards.

Told you I don't do latin.

I think "Custodes Umbra" works out closer to "shadow guards," but my Latin is less than perfect.

Hello and Good Evening.

I promisied an update. Here are the pictures. I will upload the fluff later. Gotta do some other stuff first.

Nice, I particularly like the first one, very sinister looking. I'm surprised you kept the DA heraldry on the robes though.

Two reasons. I couldn't be arsed to remove them, and the marking aren't massively Dark Angelish.

Fair enough.

I have one query about the middle pic, the marine with the mace and the bolt pistol, isnt the wing on his shoulder pad the wrong way around?, surely if he were to bring his pistol up to aim it that wing would smack him in the face, otherwise they figure are really nicely posed

I like the robed jump pack marines, they look pretty foreboding, can't wait to see them painted up!

@ asylum_inmate, not if it actually bent, like a flag. However, that is my favourite model out of the five. Looks like he just smacked a guy in the face

They should be patined up over the weekend. Just need to get some tipsfrom a friend on death wing armour.

Yeah, I really his pose too, that Dark Angels Mace weapon is just vicious looking, also like the first pic too, the combination of the robes and that power fist/shield looks like he is about to dish out some serious damage

OH YEAH! Fluff should be up for these guys soon

Cant wait, this is getting me motivated to actually start doing productive things, something other than procrastinating

Fluff:

The Custodes Umbra, or Shadow Guard, are the taskforce's commanders Honour Guard. They are charged with the safekeeping of him and the honour of escorting him into the most dangerous of situations. Their numbers drawn from across the taskforces, not just one. This means that the warfare that a specfic taskforce specilises in, is passed amoung the other taskforces.

The members of the 7th taskforce's Honour Guard, are the most famous amoung their brothers. Their armour painted a bone colour, wearing black cloaks, they descend upon pillars of flames like the reaper of old earth's stories. This site alone, has made them a terryfing foe. But their combat skill is superior to many of the enemies they have faced. It is said, that their names are known across the galaxy. The Flying Reapers, as they are called. Their names engraved upon the walls of their taskforce's lead ship. The valiant Ubon Lines, the venegful Lithonius Fulcram, the powerful Martinius Caleb, the honourable Adamantus Ignatius and the righteous Mortez Invictus. These are the men who are to be found thick in the fighting. They do not know surrender. They have faced down towering Carnifex's, powerful warp spawned foes and the remorsefulness of the robotic Necrons. And found their enemies wanting.

It is these five Battle Brothers, who make up part of the advisory body who help govern the chapter. Together they have fought for a combined 7 centuries, amoung 4 different taskforces, against the most vile and dealy thigns the galaxy could throw at them. And still they fight on. Leading by example, leading from the front. The Costodes Umbra, are said to be the first in and the last out. And if one of them falls in combat, his battle brothers will fight through countless enemies to regain his body and his blessed armour and weapons, for the next members of the Shadow Guard.


Right. I've gotta leave work now, but I hope you enjoyed this piece of fluff. There will be more, for each squad I do, I need to write one up for the Sanguinary Guard and the captain. But anway. Good evening dakkaites.

The pose on that power fist guy is awesome, very dynamic. Good luck with the painting contest :-)

Hello, sorry about the lack of updates recently, but I have been kinda ill. No painting, no writing been done for a while.

However, i shoulkd get some fluff done over the next couple of days. And the honour guard painted up over the weekend.

Thank you for listening.